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Just thought I would try to give you guys tips on improving your jump smash. A huge trick in generating more power is to snap your body, bending your knees then snapping your back can help you generate huge angle and power. True the recoil is huge and it momentarily can affect your balance until you get used to it, but as a finishing shot it can't be beat. A good exercise to do is to try to do a double jump, it sounds impossible but its not. Its exectuted at just before the very top of your jump when gravity has slowed your ascent and before you begin to descend. Its a snapping motion of your entire body and will add maybe 3 inches to the top of your jump depending on how well you do it. This snap can help prepare you for some truely massive jump smashes. I've only met a few people who can execuet it, and most of them can jump really high as it is. It generally helps if your trying to jump to something ie a ceiling that is just out of your reach. I play badminton on the national circuit and the jump smash is what i'm known for... if i'm known at all

Please tell me when to jump while shuttle in the air and when to swing ?

Timing can only be achieved through practise
the general idea is that you want to hit the bird at the highest point possible
so try doing the jumps without the racket and get used to knowing
your own air time and have a good idea of where is your highest reach and the time it takes for you to get there.
then try do it with a racket and excute yr swing at the highest point.
Eventually u get will get a breif picture of your best point of impact. Which should be your highest reach + yr arm + yr racket length. After that its all practise so u can execute yr smash at your best height.

Its easier for some ppl cos they have an exceptional air time..(my coach used to call those ppl who jump like that as if they can stay still in air) They have a larger margin of error as they can be at the highest point for a second or 2 longer. Even if we don't have that kinda of jumping ability, all we needed is more accurate timing and that can be done by practise.

the point at which you kick out when you swing is also very important, this links with the whole timing thing, with the kick it adds all the power in the world to the smash, i just experienced this the other week, and still improving my timings.

since I nver had a coach in the beginning to tell me what to do right and what not to do wrong .... even after so many years my smash now is very inconsistent

now its like a never ending experiment that doesn't end up with any definitive result

most players I play with swing the same way every single time ... not me :0

I know the basic keys to hitting it well but its like I figure things out and then I forget them later or simply dont develope a strong enough habit of doing them.

+ I have on and off shoulder tendonitis which doesn't help either.

as far as Jumping ... I think mechanics is a huge part of it ... I dont think leg power can get you up unless your using it right. One leg takeoffs can't really get you any height either. Thats one thing i have trouble with too - planting both feet before the jump.

That's what makes the jump smash so hard to learn and so impressive. All that timing and all that footwork skill to bring you into position to smoke the shuttle. Not only do you have to kick your legs at the right time, you gotta time the shuttle contact just as your body start to descend to maximize power and then whip your body momentum into the shot.

i think thats the higher level jump smash, although you want the perfect jump smash, but most people start out doing it badly and more and more used to it that they are confident it will go baseline or sideline then they use lots of power, plus how are you gonna get so much leg power overnight

Power from the legs..

Originally Posted by wedgewenis

as far as Jumping ... I think mechanics is a huge part of it ... I dont think leg power can get you up unless your using it right. One leg takeoffs can't really get you any height either. Thats one thing i have trouble with too - planting both feet before the jump.

..i would tend to agree with this also..Also, IMO, in order for one to consistently and continuously do those jumps, they must have a pretty good cardio as well as leg-squats training(esp. those of FuHF's or Sigit's or Kidho's and countless others)..I would say, landing is also a crucial part of the jumpsmash, as one doesn't want to mis-timed and then turn one's ankle or pull a muscle when landing. .But i guess it goes altogether with the whole mechanics/technique..

i have one question: just before you're about to jump, how far do you bend your knees. this has always been a nagging question.

if you bend 90 degrees (or close to it) at the knees, it wastes a lot of time. i doubt many people have quick enough footwork to get behind the shuttle, bend 90degrees at the knees and execute a good jumpsmash. but say you do have the proper footwork and can get behind the shuttle quickly, the reward is that you get a higher jump, therefore you may contact it higher and get a better angle.

but conversely, if you bend at around 45 degrees (like most ppl do), you dont get as high of a jump, but your recovery time is much quicker and you dont have to get behind the shuttle as fast.

which one is 'more' ideal? im guessing more ppl bend 90degrees at the knees when playing doubles since you have your partner covering you when recover

The ideal to me is the one that can give the most powerful smash (bend 90º) even if it seems to give you less recover time and harder times to get it timed. Just need more practice, but it will pay you well =)

are they really that useful? consecutive smashes will just wear you out.. won't playing strategically be more useful?

Yes, strategic play is crucial. However, a very powerful jump smash can

1) Keep your opponents from attacking your attacks, because if it's powerful enough, they should have quite some trouble driving it back, due to the trajectory and speed, as well as the mental fear.

2) Having a good smash prevents your opponents from attacking your drops, as they will tend not to rush, fearing that you'll just whack their face off with a good smash.

3) Good jump on the smash can get you a very good angle and force them to lift. Good power on the smash can get you a weaker lift. Have both of these and you'll get more chances to smash and finish it off. Also, if you can get a good angle, you'll also make them bend and crouch for them, which also requires energy.